


Gumball

by Quagswagging



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - The Princess and the Frog (2009) Fusion, Fairy Tale Retellings, Falling In Love, Family, Family Feels, Frogs, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:01:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27026992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quagswagging/pseuds/Quagswagging
Summary: When his brother accidentally turns him into a frog, Max needs to try to stay alive and try to find a cure to his curse.But most importantly, he needs to stop frog-flirting with Prince Daniel.
Relationships: Daniel Ricciardo/Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton/Sebastian Vettel
Comments: 29
Kudos: 142





	Gumball

**Author's Note:**

> 1 picture of a frog with a crown and this happens✌
> 
> I do like the result tho, fairytale like fics are the most fun to write :3
> 
> Big thanks to the discord family for being ridiculous about this with me❤

Once upon a time, there was a small, calm kingdom hidden away between a pair of mountains. Ruling this kingdom was a young but fair king, King Sebastian. Loved by his people, the king kept to himself and kept war far from the kingdom’s borders. 

The kingdom flourished, and it was expected of the King to produce an heir to the throne. King Sebastian’s first wife, a beautiful young princess whose name got lost in history, gave him a son, a little boy named Max. The princess died in childbirth, and Sebastian was left to raise the little Prince on his own. Months later, The King remarried to a powerful mage whose name was not forgotten but _forbidden_. The mage gave him another son, Charles, and then disappeared, never to be seen again.

Besides being a fair king, King Sebastian was also a loving father. Charles and Max grew up into handsome young men, mischievous and brash to each other but also secretly very close. On Charles’s 16th birthday, the little family found out Charles had inherited his mother’s magic. It wasn’t as strong as the mage’s magic had been, but still very much present, and Sebastian was forced to find Charles a tutor.

With Charles needing magic lessons, the boys were taught separately, which only made them clash more. Sebastian knew they just missed each other, even though they were both too much of a teenager to admit it. Max struggled with envy over Charles’s magic, but the few times other palace boys would make fun of Charles for being small and lithe, Max was the first to fight them. 

When Max turned 19 and Charles turned 18, Sebastian had to give in to his advisor’s urgent letters, and let suitors come to the palace for both his boys. Neither Prince seemed willing to settle for the brash, often older princes who came for their hand, nor for the Princesses who arrived in puffy dresses and layers of lace, and Sebastian was silently proud of them. 

His boys were becoming strong, independent princes, and he didn’t mind if they didn’t marry for a few years.

He would rather keep them at the palace.

~~~~~~

“Max, fuck off!” Charles whined, wiggling and thrashing under his older brother as Max grinned and tickled his sides.

“Dad said Lewis wanted you outside for your lesson an hour ago. He told me to come to wake you!” Max grinned, pushing the covers away to have easier access to his brother’s sides. Charles whined, a flash of gold leaving his fingers, which made Max fall back on his ass.

“Cheater! We said no magic!” Max huffed. Charles glared and set up, hopping out of bed and padding over to his dressing room, hands brushing all the silks and laces hanging there. 

“I’m allowed to cheat when you ambush me.” Charles called over his shoulder, Max following after him and pointing out a pretty white shirt and a bronze coloured jacket. “There are more suitors coming after your lessons, dad told us to dress up, remember?” he said. Charles scoffed.

“That’s why you look like a twat then.” he snapped, eying Max’s dark blue jacket. Max glared. 

“You’re just jealous because blue is saved for the crown prince.” he said smugly. Charles huffed, jumping onto Max and working him to the floor.

“Blue is my colour!” Charles whined, now tickling his older brother. Max gasped out a laugh, trying to push Charles away and failing.

“... I thought you were both adults now.” a tired voice sounded from the door of Charles’s chambers. 

“Dad!” Charles smiled, stumbling to his feet and giving Sebastian a sheepish smile. Max followed his example, both staring at their dad. Sebastian gave them a fond smile. 

“I’ve convinced Checo to prepare late breakfast for you, after that it’s straight to the lessons.” Sebastian said sternly. 

“Are more of those brainless monkeys coming by tonight?” Charles asked. Sebastian sighed. 

“Your future spouse could be amongst those brainless monkeys.” he told them, walking over and carding his fingers through Charles’s unruly hair. Charles scoffed.

“I doubt it. They’re either princes with large egos and small dicks or princesses who only care about lace.” he huffed. 

“Those princes and princesses all sound an awful lot like you, Charles.” Max remarked with a cheeky smile. Charles huffed, making to jump at his brother, but Sebastian caught his collar.

“Get dressed and go eat, or I’ll set the dogs on you two.” the king said sternly. Charles and Max gave him their best innocent looks.

“Yes dad.” 

~~~~~

“Look at the guy on the right, he must be older than dad.” Charles muttered to Max from where they were standing next to their father’s throne, the king inviting the suitors closer one by one to hear them speak. 

“Well at least you’ll get rid of him in a few years then.” Max snorted teasingly, causing Charles to huff and slap his wrist. Sebastian turned to glare, before holding up his hand.

“We’ll take a break now.” the King announced, just as the doors opened and another suitor bustled in. Max felt his mouth go dry watching Daniel, the crown prince of the neighbouring kingdom, come in. Max and Charles had grown up with Dan and his little brother Lando and they were quite close, even though their schooling and duties kept them from meeting up. 

“Are they here for… for…” Max stuttered, blushing a deep red when Daniel saw him looking and waved at him. 

“Come on, family meeting.” Sebastian said urgently when he noted the looks, taking his boys and leading them out of the hall. 

“Who do you think Daniel is here for.” Max asked Charles, nervously biting his nails. Charles shrugged.

“I mean I’m the pretty one, naturally-” he said, before huffing as Max hit him in the stomach. “I don’t want him, he smiles too much.” Charles added quickly, curiously regarding the nervous expression on his brother’s face. 

“Don’t get carried away, Max. Courting is a big deal.” Sebastian said. “You need to pick someone you really like.” he added, before getting whisked away by his advisor to look over some papers during their break.

Max and Charles were left alone, sitting in some plush chairs as they ate some of the pastries Checo had left out for him. Max mindlessly bit down on one of them, before gasping as the contents spilt out and stained his white shirt.

“Shit!” Max gasped, trying to wipe it off but only spreading the filth around more. Charles caught his hands, taking a closer look.

“I know a spell for that, to clean you up.” Charles soothed, taking pity on his brother when he saw how nervous Max was. Max nodded, letting Charles fuss over him before the younger prince took a deep breath, placing his hand over the stain and muttering some strange words under his breath. 

“C-charles - don’t feel good.” Max muttered instantly, stumbling on his feet as gold smoke surrounded him. Charles let out a startled cry, calling for his dad the instant the smoke disappeared. 

“Papa! Max is gone!” Charles gasped as Sebastian came running back inside, the King frowning and looking around before his eyes fell to the heap of clothes on the floor.

“What did you do!” Sebastian gasped. Charles let out a sob.

“I was just trying to help, I tried this cleaning spell a-and-” he tried to explain. Lewis, Charles’s magic teacher, came rushing into the room too, asking what spell Charles had tried before kneeling down, gently pushing the clothes aside and sighing.

“Here he is.” Lewis muttered, standing up and extending his hand towards Lewis and Charles.

“A-a frog?” Sebastian gasped indignantly, staring at the little green animal clumsily hopping over Lewis’s hand. The frog was no bigger than a golfball and let out a grumpy croak, trying to hop over to Sebastian. Sebastian held out his hand and let the frog climb over onto his fingers, holding him closer to his face as Charles pressed close too. 

“Croak… croak twice if you really are Max.” Charles whispered, his hands trembling as he clutched them in front of his face. The frog eyed them for a moment, and then croaked twice. Charles reached out to gently ran his fingertip over the frog’s head.

“I’m so sorry Maxy.” Charles sniffled. Sebastian looked up at Lewis.

“Change him back.” he told the mage in a shaky voice. Lewis blinked.

“I… I need to do more research first. If I use a wrong spell, Max might be… he might be a frog forever.” he said softly, reaching out to place a hand on Sebastian’s shoulder to soothe him. Sebastian clenched his jaw, handing the little frog to Charles.

“You better fix this.” he told Charles angrily. “You better get your brother back.” he added, his voice starting to shake.

“Papa…” Charles cried after his dad as Sebastian stormed out of the room, but the King didn’t stop for him. Lewis caught Charles’s shoulder, steadying him and making sure Charles didn’t drop the little frog. The little frog still seemed mad, but then pushed his head against Charles’s fingers in an oddly comforting gesture. 

“I’ll find a way to set this right.” Lewis said. “Let me talk to your dad, okay?” he added. Charles nodded silently, still gently stroking the frog’s head. 

“I’ll let the suitors know we’re done for the day.” Charles whispered, carefully putting Max the frog down on a chair. “Don’t move!” he said, before walking back to the hall. 

Lewis left too and Max was now left alone, croaking softly and trying to make sense of his new body. He tried to hop forward but tripper over his front foot, the little frog letting out a high pitched croaking sound as he toppled off the chair and onto the floor. He tried again, making a big leap towards the door. He hopped out of the room, looking for Charles and croaking softly once again. He didn’t want to be left alone, not when he didn’t quite understand yet what was going on. 

Everything was much bigger now that he was a tiny frog, and the moment someone walked past him, Max panicked, almost getting stepped on. He croaked loudly, shuffling back when a second pair of feet, smaller than the first, stopped in front of him.

“Oh look at you.” a familiar voice said softly, gentle hands scooping Max up. Max looked up and saw it was Lando who had picked him up, the young Prince smiling and gently shushing him as Max started to croak louder.

“Lando? Are you coming?” Max heard Daniel ask suddenly, the older Prince walking over. Lando drew in a sharp breath, and quickly put Max in the pocket of his jacket, even though Max protested. 

“Coming!” Lando called to his older brother, making sure Max was secure in his pocket before jogging towards Daniel. Max croaked softly, but he was being jostled too much to try and get out of the pocket.

Guess that meant he was going on a trip.

The carriage ride back to Dan and Lando’s home took about 4 hours, and only 2 hours into the ride did Max dare to move again. He tried to climb out of Lando’s pocket, croaking as he poked his head out from the pocket’s edge. He instantly felt Daniel’s eyes on him, the older Prince leaning in close.

“Lando, what did you do now.” Daniel sighed in exasperation. Lando let out a squeak.

“I found him in the palace, isn’t he adorable?” Lando smiled, letting Max climb onto his hand. Daniel eyed the little frog curiously, smiling lightly as Max hopped in his direction. The little frog croaked, sitting up and puffing his chest out at the Prince on instinct. The bubble under his chin inflated, creating a light yellow ball, and Lando squealed excitedly.

“He is flirting with you!” Lando snorted. Daniel just glared at his little brother, but let Max hop onto his fingers. The frog croaked some more, puffing his bubble up again and Daniel chuckled.

“Gumball.” he said, poking Max’s head a little. Max croaked, patting his front foot at Daniel’s finger. Lando gasped.

“Gumball is a great name!” he agreed with a smile. Max croaked indignantly but felt more calm now that Daniel was holding him. The older prince smiled, handing the little frog back to his brother. Lando let Max slip back into his pocket, before turning to Dan.

“Why do you think the meeting was got short?” he asked. Daniel shrugged, his smile falling. 

“Maybe King Sebastian didn’t like us arriving.” he muttered, looking out the small windows of the carriage. Lando hummed. 

“But he likes us, and Max and Charles like us…” he answered. Max perked up in Lando’s pocket, poking his head out again to listen in more closely. Daniel seemed a bit lost, letting out a deep sigh.

“Maybe Max found a suitor he likes already.” he said quietly. Max wiggled around, puffing up his bubble again.

Dan wanted to court him? Dan had come as a suitor for _him?_

“I’m sure there is another explanation.” Lando soothed his brother, nudging Max back down in his pocket. Max croaked, and sulked for the remainder of the ride, Lando switching to talking about the new horse he had gotten.

Max was more than determined to go back to his human form now. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Max had expected Lando to drop him in a cage somewhere, maybe feed him a few times and then forget about him, but the young Prince didn’t seem to want to let go of him. Max got used to travelling around in Lando’s pocket, the youngster babbling away at him all the time, and even let the prince put little doll hats on him. (Max wouldn’t admit it, but he liked the little gold crown Lando sometimes let him wear).

It was nice, but Max hated not being able to talk back. 

He saw Daniel a lot less now, but whenever the older prince was around, Max would automatically puff up the bubble under his chin, croaking loudly at Daniel. He knew it was just his subconcious flirting with Daniel, and it did seem to amuse Dan an awfull lot. Dan still called Max Gumball and would occasionally let the frog sit on his hand to give him some attention, but it was mostly Lando who took care of Max.

Max just had to find a way to let Lando know who he was.

After spending about a week with Lando, Max got his opportunity. The prince had had peas for lunch, but had left most of them on his plate. Max, sitting on the table next to Lando’s plate and munching on the cricket Lando had gotten him, suddenly croaked loudly, jumping on the plate and starting to push peas around. 

“Gumball! What are you doing?” Lando gasped when Max painstakingly created an ‘M’ out of the peas. Lando stared at it, seeming baffled. Max croaked impatiently, pointing his foot at the M as if to put emphasis on it. 

“M… Max?” Lando tried. Max nodded as best he could. Lando stared at him, mouth agape. 

“You’re… you’re Prince Maximilian? Son of King Sebastian?” he said slowly. Max nodded again, puffing up his chest. 

“Are you cursed?” Lando asked, sighing as Max croaked and hopped closer. Lando gently stroked his head. “I should let your family know you’re here. News reached us this morning that you are missing and that your dad and brother are heartbroken.” Lando added more quietly. Max croaked. He had somehow forgotten about his family, he barely even remembered their faces.

Something was wrong, Max felt as if he was running out of time. 

“Lando? Are you talking to your little frog friend now?” Daniel chuckled as he entered the dining room. Lando looked up with wide eyes.

“It’s Max.” he whispered, still in shock. Daniel frowned.

“What do you mean?” he scoffed. Lando pointed at the little frog. 

“Max.” he squeaked out, before getting up. “Watch him for a moment, I- I need to write Charles.” he mumbled, running out of the room. Daniel was left alone with Max, the little frog croaking and wandering closer to Daniel. Daniel sat down heavily at the table, eying the frog skeptically.

“Lando’s fantasy never fails to impress me.” Daniel said suddenly, folding his arms on the table and resting his chin on top of them. Max hopped over to him, sitting right in front of him and puffing up his bubble. Daniel smiled. 

“You’re funny, Gumball.” he whispered. Max laid down a little, resting his head on his front feet to mimick Dan’s pose. Daniel’s lips quirked up into a little smile.

“I don’t know why Lando thinks you’re Max.” he muttered. “Max is probably just missing because he eloped with some suitor.” he added, seeming saddened. Max croaked softly, wanting Dan to continue. 

“It’s stupid, I just don’t want him to marry anyone but… me.” Daniel whispered. “Shit Gumball, I think I love him-”

Daniel was cut off when Lando barged into the room again. 

“King Sebastian and Prince Charles just arrived.” he said breathlessly, snatching Max off the table and yelling at Dan to join him before running back the way he had come from. Max croaked, practically squeezed flat in Lando’s palm. When Lando’s hold loosened, Max barely had time to figure out what was going on before someone else grabbed him.

“Max! I’m so, so sorry.” Charles’s familiar voice whimpered, Max being pressed to a warm chest. Max croaked a little, wiggling around until Charles loosened his grip. Charles placed him down on a small pillow sitting on the table, bending down to be on eye level with the little amphibian.

“Max, we can change you back to your human form.” Charles whispered, shakily pulling the cork out of a small flask. Lewis stepped closer too, smiling and starting to mutter an enchantment. 

“Gumball is really..?” Daniel gasped out, groaning and blushing a deep red when everyone nodded at him. Lewis silenced everyone with a wave of his hand, Charles now joining the chant as Charles tipped the flask over Max, the dark liquid coating the little frog. 

Gold smoke surrounded Max and the others stumbled away, keeping aside until the smoke disappeared, leaving an shivering, naked Max sitting on the table. Charles quickly rushed forward to pull a cloak around him, before hugging his brother tightly.

“I thought I’d lost you.” Charles sobbed, hugging his big brother tightly. Max hugged back equally tightly, nuzzling his face into Charles’s shoulder. 

“I’m okay.” Max whispered dumbly, voice hoarse. He pulled away slowly, looking at his dad, who was standing a few steps away from them. Lewis was standing next to the King, a gentle hand on the King’s shoulder as Sebastian started to cry.

“Come here baby.” Sebastian whispered, hugging his son tightly. Max pressed his face in his dad’s robes, just taking a deep breath. Sebastian pulled Charles closer too, pressing a kiss to his younger son’s temple.

“And this is why you need magic lessons.” Sebastian whispered, smiling shakily as he let go off his boys. Charles glared halfheartedly but seemed to relieved to care. Max pulled away from his family, walking over to Lando and awkwardly hugging him close.

“Thank you for taking care of me.” he muttered. Lando blushed.

“If I hadn’t taken you with me-” he started, eying Sebastian wearily. Sebastian smiled.

“If you hadn’t taken him, Checo might have thrown him out, or the dogs would have eaten him. It’s okay, Lando.” the King said kindly. Lando let out a relieved sigh and hugged Max another time.

“I’ll miss Gumball though…” Lando muttered with a weak smile. 

“We’ll get you a pet frog.” Daniel spoke up with a chuckle, ruffling his brother’s hair. Max turned to the older Prince, his cheeks flushing a deep red.

“Daniel, about what you said-” he started. Daniel shook his head.

“Forget it, Max, it was stupid of me to think you’d consider me.” Daniel sighed. Max frowned. 

“That’s not true. In fact, you were the only person I was considering.” he whispered. Charles now frowned.

“Considering for what?” he asked. Max bit his lip, glancing at his brother and then at his dad.

“I know Daniel never had the chance to present himself properly, but I… I’d like to court him, dad.” he whispered. Sebastian’s face softened. 

“I know, and I think you two will be perfect together.” he smiled. “Sometimes love is closer than we think.” he added, and neither Max or Charles missed the way Sebastian glanced at Lewis, who was clearing away the vials from the enchantment. 

Max sighed, turning to Daniel and letting the older man hug him close. Daniel smiled, one hand cupping the back of Max’s head as he nuzzled his face in Max’s hair, not seeming to believe what was happening. 

Sebastian smiled at the two, before waving Lewis after him, the two leaving to give Max and Daniel some privacy. Charles noticed and nodded at his dad, before grabbing Lando’s sleeve.

“Don’t you have a pond of frogs in the palace garden? Maybe there is a pet-worthy one there.” he urged, leading Lando away as well.

“I should get dressed.” Max muttered, cheeks flushing pink as he clutched the robe more tightly around himself. Daniel smiled, a gentle hand tilting Max’s head up. 

“It’s a shame.” he muttered. Max frowned, feeling a pang of hurt in his stomach. Daniel shushed him, gently booping the tip of Max’s nose. 

“It’s just a shame you can’t flirt with me anymore by puffing your bubble up.” he whispered teasingly. Max huffed and lightly slapped the man’s chest.

“Oh shut up, I have different ways to flirt with you.” he huffed. Daniel raised an eyebrow.

“How?” he asked softly. Max sighed, pressing close again.

“Like this.” he smiled, before leaning in to bring their lips together.

A true love’s kiss might not have been needed to break Max’s curse, but Max still felt cured as he kissed Daniel. He no longer had to be polite to suitors, no longer had to worry about who would marry him. Not with the love of his life holding him in his arms like this.

A soft croak left Max’s throat, and even though Daniel laughed, Max continued to kiss him.

“Shut up.” he murmured against Daniel’s lips, smiling as well. Daniel pulled away, resting their foreheads together.

“Very well, _my little frog_ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!  
> Find me on tumblr: bwoahtastic


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